The invention relates generally to diagnostic imaging systems, and more particularly, to power management of diagnostic imaging systems.
At least some known ultrasound diagnostic imaging systems maintain power to the image data acquisition circuitry even when the circuitry is not actively performing a scan of a patient. Thus, image data acquisition circuitry consumes power even when imaging data is not being acquired.
A front end of the ultrasound system, also known as a scanning portion or scanning sub-system, generally includes a scanning probe, transmit circuitry for transmitting an ultrasound pulse into a patient, and image acquisition circuitry for collecting echo information from the back scattered echoes of the transmitted ultrasound pulse. The front end is typically includes customized circuits, such as, for example, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) that perform transmit and receive functions related to image data acquisition. A back end of the ultrasound system typically includes a back end processor (BEP) or controller, for example, a personal computer (PC) or other processor. Although some final image processing may be performed by the BEP, the BEP may be used to perform functions not involving active scanning of the patient. The functions not involved in active scanning include, for example, setup of the ultrasound system for various types of scans, generating patient reports, reviewing the scanned data and/or generated images, etc. Typically, power is supplied to and consumed by the front end of an ultrasound system even when the front end is not actively scanning the patient.
Power is typically consumed by the front end and back end circuitry of an ultrasound system regardless of a mode of operation of the system. For example, a user or sonographer may not be actively performing scanning of the patient when generating patient reports or analyzing acquired images. This unnecessary power consumption by the front end circuitry during non-scanning periods may lead to unnecessary generation of heat, which may decrease reliability of the system. Fans may operate to dissipate the heat produced by consumption of power by the front end circuitry, which also leads to added cost.
A trend in medical ultrasound systems is to process a larger number of channels (e.g. transducer elements) and multiple lines of acquisition (MLA) of data, which tends to increase the power consumption within the transmit and receiver sections of the front end. Increased power consumption leads to increased heat generation and decreased reliability due to the heat.
Thus, in these known ultrasound systems, power is supplied to and consumed by various portions of the ultrasound system when scanning is not active. This power consumption results in unnecessary heat generation and decrease in system reliability.